Awwh! That IS a real cutie. Very playful-looking, and I like the flower wreath and the bright markings, and the way their colors coordinate with bits of the background color. I think I'd like to meet this sweetheart.
Same! Though the background looks a bit like a plant salad, heh. I still need to work on how I do forest floors. I enjoy working with other people's characters, it's different and a real breath of fresh air.
Oh, that could be awesome. ^_^ If you wanted something that wasn't from your region I bet good old-fashioned Google images would also be a nice way to check around, but live studies of your local stuff sounds like more fun.